Sediments

Today I worked on a lawnmower that would not run for a neighbor in our development. Some of you will recognize this as the carburetor bowl. As you can see it has dirt and sediments is mixed in with the gas. When the gas gets sucked through the carburetor to the cylinder those sediments clog up the jets and keep the gas from flowing, stalling out engine. Once the carburetor was cleaned and the gas tank drained, I added new gas and the engine started right up.

Summer lawns grow fast

Sediments keep mower stalled

Clean carb lets it run

***

Distractions in life

Often stall relationships

Clean out sediments

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Feeling Connected

Feeling Connected

Someone asked me this week what I meant when I said I needed to feel connected. I am not sure I gave a very good answer at the time, so I went to the dictionary and looked up definitions of three related words connection, acknowledge, and valued. These three seems to go together when it comes to understanding connection.

1. Connected is to be brought together or into contact so that a real or notional link is established.

           Connection is a relationship in which a person, thing, or idea is linked or associated with      something else.

2. Acknowledge is to be recognized as being good or important: accepted as valid or legitimate.

3. Valued is to be considered to be important or beneficial: cherished as a valued friend.

The best example of all three shows up in our blogging community. We connect with each other. sharing our poetry, ideas, and opinions. We put it out there for the world to see and respond to. In doing so we hope to be acknowledged with likes and sometimes comments. In return we respond, building connection that is very meaningful. It is in this way that we realize the significance of our connection. We feel valued, and in some cases become cherished friends with people from all over the world and look forward to our ongoing connection. On the other hand, when there is an attempt at connection with no reciprocating response, the feeling of being valid or legitimate in their eyes is missing and the connection is lost.

Personal connection

Acknowledged and valued

Meaningful friendships

***

Thank you, my friends, for being there and sharing your thoughts and life with me!

A Senryu Poem

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

~bing definitions~

Quicksand of Expectations

Naturally, we view relationships through our own eyes

taking in all that we enjoy // perceiving what will be

Yet, as relationship expectations grow, the delusion increases

Wishful thinking, full of wants and needs draws us

to assumptions of crashing cataracts… leaving us dashed…

often broken on the rocks of unfulfilled expectations…

as life roars on around us // carrying away our dreams

*

Co-dependence is a quicksand of mutual expectations

turning a loving relationship into sinking turmoil

sucked under by our own needs and desires

to a point of suffocation

 

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

 

 

 

Purple Heart

Today I talked with my neighbor who has been having ongoing relationship problems in his marriage. He decided it was time form him to leave the relationship and move out. It is very sad to see this taking place. It happens so often it seems. If you are in a situation like this, make the effort to go to a good family counselor for help before calling it quits. It may take some time, but it can save your relationship, if both of you are willing to work on resolution. I know this from experience.

Purple Heart

Seems all we do is argue and fuss

Can’t seem to find common ground

Not a way to raise a son…

Listening to all our ranting and raving

Perhaps time away from each other

Will help refocus our relationship

But then again, maybe not

*

Why is it so hard to listen

When our self-worth is on the line

Defense seems the only choice

Love has flown south for the winter

Raging words burn like California forest fires

When the battles are said and done

No one comes out a winner

I leave this relationship with a purple heart

Wounded in battle and scarred for life.

Painting: Dwight L Roth

Lasting Wealth

Seek prosperity

above good relationships

Wealth flies out the window

Die alone without either

Serve others… be loved

Be remembered

for how you made them feel

That is true wealth

*

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Hang Loose

Last week I finally picked up this mess of string that had gotten extremely tangled. I thought I would begin rolling it onto a stick so I could use it in the future. I found the end and began to roll, but the harder I pulled the more knotted up it became. I tried weaving the stick through the loops, but it soon was tight again. Finally I picked up the loose ends and began to shake them in my hand. As I did, the end loosened up and I kept winding. It took awhile, but in the end I was able to shake this knotted mess loose and get it totally rewound onto the stick.

There are a number of analogies one could take from this, but I thought how much this is like our relationships. The harder we pull against each other the tighter the situation becomes. If we could just hang loose and let things shake themselves out, life would be a lot better for everyone. In a marriage there will always be knots somewhere down the line. If we could just hang loose and not take things so personally, perhaps we could find a way to untangle those knots. I realize some situations may require cutting the cord, but for most there is hope if both are willing to work at it.

Life’s knots and tangles

Need shakeups to work them out

Hang on… don’t jump ship

Ride out September’s gales

November brings Thanksgiving

Winter is coming

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Putting on a Hug

Our disposable society has a lot of downside and excess baggage that comes with it. I believe we lose so much these days because we are too quick to discard what we once held dear. Whether it be friends or family or spouse, everything these days is dispensable. Commitment and vows seem to be archaic confinements in this generation. We seem to forget that in relationships we will have differences; things that may hurt deeply, but forgiveness is always a part of life. Without forgiveness, we will go on repeating our same mistakes and adding more and more baggage to our life’s load.

She tells me it’s time to throw it out

Faded and worn // button missing

But to me it is something special

A security blanket of sorts

Putting on this old shirt is like

putting on a hug

*

Just like a long-time friend

with all our quirks and flaws

We are something special

A security blanket of sorts

Having you as a friend is like

putting on a hug

*

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Sharing this one on open link night at d’Verse.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com Then click on the Mr. Linkey box to read from the different poets.

He’s Gone!

Inhaling smoke from your flame

Burning in the heat of the moment

You were warned, you were told

Did you listen? No!

Now you will burn

Like flash paper in a magician’s hand

Combustible feelings up in smoke

That mind-blowing moment gone

Your all-consuming desire

Not quite what you expected

Leaving ashes for memories

Dust in the wind

He’s gone!

Painting: Dwight L. Roth

Our 50th

Yesterday was our fiftieth wedding anniversary. Our whole family came home to celebrate with us. It was a wonderful day together. I received this tile from my wife for our twenty-fifth anniversary. This year I wrapped it up and gave it back to her. A reminder of the fifty years we have spent together.  Like our relationship, it has been cracked, but not broken. Now it is cemented together and stronger than ever

Happy Anniversary, my love…
Fifty years have flown by;
Through the years one thing remains; our vow of commitment to stay together for better and for worse.
We enjoyed many great years together with our family and our church. Our faith brought us through the Valley of the Shadow of death and out the other side.
We love our wonderful children and grandchildren. We pray that each one will use the values and principals we have taught them to find their own way.
I love you as much today as I did when we said our vows fifty years ago. Our love has grown and changed over the years, but I believe the love that brought us together was God ordained and he has seen us through.
Happy Anniversary my dear…
I love you with all my heart. I look forward to our next 50 years together.
December 27, 1969 – 2019

Photo: Dwight Roth

 

Finding Meaning in Life

The meaning of life lies not in the things we have
Nor what we may have accomplished;
But rather, in the life we are living each day.
Friends who care and share themselves with us
Make life a joy knowing they are there.
When we see the laughter in our children’s eyes
Feeling their love and enjoying their hugs.
The joy of sun on our face, the wind in our hair;
Mud squishing between our toes;
Listening to the birds singing their songs;
The chirp of the wren, the cooing of the doves,
Lovingly protecting one another…
Reminding us the touch of a hand and a loving voice
Bring meaning each day to our fast paced life.
Finding meaning in life lies not in the things we have;
But in those we love and those we serve.
The rest is just icing on the cake.

Photo: Dwight L. Roth